Grouse Season is Almost Here

[jtm307]

After two grouse hunts of seeing but not harvesting any birds, I finally didn’t get skunked. Playing hooky from work paid off with a sage grouse.



He ate the head.

 

[Russp17]

Well they aren't grouse but they are close. Been getting my dog out a few times this fall chasing Ptarmigan.

 

[onpoint]

^^
This Montana blue grouse hunter who would hafta' hike 4-5 hours and climb 4000' to get to that type of country in SW MT (and there likely would be no birds) - which would have my dogs, and I, pooped out by the time we got there - likes those pics a bunch.
As well as those birds......

 

[onpoint]

Not the pic one wants to present at the end of the first month of bird season.
One dawg with the cone of shame, the other with a sock on it's foot. The birds and the high country rocks and deadfall are winning so far this year.
ETA's for healthy pards again - the youngun's stob skewering should be healed in ten days and the old girl's broken-into-the-quick claw - ?????.
Glad that MT bird season lasts three more months. So are veterinary docs

 

[Ben Lamb]

Not the pic one wants to present at the end of the first month of bird season.
One dawg with the cone of shame, the other with a sock on it's foot. The birds and the high country rocks and deadfall are winning so far this year.
ETA's for healthy pards again - the youngun's stob skewering should be healed in ten days and the old girl's broken-into-the-quick claw - ?????.
Glad that MT bird season lasts three more months. So are veterinary docs
View attachment 115605

Mine just got an UTI. So we're out this weekend as well. Might try to go jump shoot a few ducks.

Or just hunker down & watch the boob tube.

 

[JLS]

Mine has decided to point grouse for about three seconds then barrel in like a Chessie

 

[onpoint]

Mine has decided to point grouse for about three seconds then barrel in like a Chessie

Blue grouse hunting, for me, is about all the good things about September in the high country. The birds are the end product of the sum of the rest. Thus, I'm not real concerned that my dogs act more as an early warning system for the immediate presence of Blues than as good pointers. I can rely on their body language and actions signalling me that birds are right close. More often than not, there are no points on Blues. If/when it happens, I'm always pleasantly surprised. There's usually a fun retrieve for the girls and everyone's happy.
Those blues are a fun preseason for the serious work to come - roosters, huns, and hunter weary nervous bunches of sharpies. My pups do their job with those things.
I'd be happy with three second points, but that's just me.
Course, JLS, we could get in snarky little pissing matches about such things (how long a good point should last??) - like those snipey petty little boys over on the concurrent antelope judging thread.

 

[JLS]

I'd be happy with three second points, but that's just me.

You’re clearly a dumbass

I know I am expecting a lot out of a young dog, and on a tough bird. In big picture perspective, today really was a good day. And, nothing broke on my vehicle

 

[onpoint]

"You’re clearly a dumbass"

Oh yaaa?
Well I'd like to know how you decide to pass on one grouse over another. Is the middle one worth shooting, or are the outer two clearly representative of the standard?

 

[Hem]

Mine has decided to point grouse for about three seconds then barrel in like a Chessie

Know all about the Chessie thing. My last one would flush wonderfully but also toss back a Hun in two gulps.

 

[JLS]

"You’re clearly a dumbass"

Oh yaaa?
Well I'd like to know how you decide to pass on one grouse over another. Is the middle one worth shooting, or are the outer two clearly representative of the standard?
View attachment 115614

I got nuthin’

 

[rwc101]

I finally got into some today. I debated whether to go or not due to the windy conditions. It's the one year anniversary of getting hit by a car and not being able to walk without a crutch or walker for four months, so I decided to celebrate with a grouse hunt even if conditions might be less than ideal. A weird weather pattern moved in over night which had thick clouds blanketing the plains.


I finally got out of the clouds around 9k feet.


I haven't had much luck finding grouse this year. I saw one making it's way across the road and knew I finally had a good spot even though I hunted this area a few weeks ago and found none. I rushed the shot on the first one I came across. First grouse jitters. Watched him fly off to where I couldn't chase him. I handled the second much better and had my first bird of the season.


A red tailed hawk began soaring overhead, and I didn't see any more grouse out in the open after that. I headed down a steep draw that eventually leveled out into a ponderosa/aspen stand with lots of tall grass and berries. Saw an elusive mountain chicken about 50 yards ahead and had to calm my grouse fever as I approached. 15 yards from where I spotted the grouse, 5 birds flushed at the same time. I managed a double, and I had my first limit of grouse. I bumped two more on the way back to the truck.



My folks are on their way from Virginia, so I was glad to have a limit to cook up for them. The cat got the gibblets.

 

[Hem]

Sharpies were jumpy yesterday.
Fun morning,a bit windy, birds going every which way.

 

[WV Hunter]

Some north Maine woods action a couple of weeks ago with my pups. Big one is 15 months and the other 4 months. They both learned a lot with each bird contact. Day three the older one started figuring it out and I managed to hit a woodcock and grouse.

 

[jtm307]

I’ve hunted sharpies more than any other species this year. I finally bagged one on Friday. The dog was being a turd, so he didn’t get the retrieve.

 

[802flyfish]

Can’t wait till September. Will be our first season on Grouse.

 

[NEWHunter]

Getting excited here too. I won our group’s inaugural traveling trophy last year. I now have a title to defend . . . and a cup to retain.

 

[.270Rem]

We are going to try for sharptails in October in SD. I have seen them on numerous trips and never hunted them so I am looking forward to the chase.

 

[dk88]

In my normal grouse areas I am seeing a ton of grasshoppers for the second year in a row which should lead to a heck of a year for sharptail. September 1st cant come soon enough!

 

[EWO]

I've done a lot of reading on blue grouse habitat and feeding. Everything I read says they eat bugs until they roost up in the trees. Every year, even on the opener they are eating pine needles already in an area I frequent!